ever witnessed. The race was well contested, and terminated only by the
horses being fatigued and out of breath; but though every one was emulous
to outstrip his companion, honour and fame were the only reward of the
competitors.

"A few naked boys, on ponies without saddles, then rode over the course,
after which the second and last heat commenced. This was not by any means
so good as the first, owing to the greater anxiety which the horsemen
evinced to display their skill in the use of the spear and the management
of their animals. The king maintained his seat on horseback during these
amusements, without even once dismounting to converse with his wives and
children who were sitting on the ground on each side of him. His dress was
showy rather than rich, consisting of a red cap, enveloped in the large
folds of a white muslin turban; two under tobes of blue and scarlet cloth,
and an outer one of white muslin; red trousers, and boots of scarlet and
yellow leather. His horse seemed distressed by the weight of his rider,
and the various ornaments and trappings with which his head, breast, and
body, were bedecked. The chief's eldest and youngest sons were near his
women and other children, mounted on two noble looking horses. The eldest
of these youths was about eleven years of age. The youngest being not more
than three, was held on the back of his animal by a male attendant, as he
was unable to sit upright in the saddle without this assistance. The
child's dress was ill suited to his age. He wore on his head a tight cap
of Manchester cotton, but it overhung the upper part of his face, and
together with its ends, which flapped over each cheek, hid nearly the
whole of his countenance from view; his tobe and trousers were made
exactly in the same fashion as those of a man, and two large belts of blue
cotton, which crossed each other, confined the tobe to his body. The
little legs of the child were swallowed up in clumsy yellow boots, big
enough for his father; and though he was rather pretty, his whimsical